In a principal aspect the present invention relates to an automotive tool, and more particularly, to an automotive tool designed to facilitate removal of hose clamps such as used to retain radiator hoses and other hoses appropriately connected in a vehicle engine compartment.
The use of flexible hoses to connect fluid ports associated with the cooling system of an internal combustion engine is well-known. Attachment of such hoses to the port connections is typically maintained by means of various types of clamping mechanisms which fit around the hose and engage it tightly to the port connection. A very common type of hose connector or clamp comprises a generally circular band which is fitted over the end of the hose and compresses the hose onto a port connection. The ends of the circular band comprise radially outwardly extending tabs which are spaced one from the other and may be engaged to release the clamp by compressing the tabs or moving the tabs toward one another. Often when a mechanic is attempting to remove such a clamp in order to replace or repair a hose or a port connection, access to the clamp may be so restricted that removal becomes extremely difficult. Thus, the fluid ports and hoses in many vehicle engine compartments are positioned in areas of the compartment that are generally not highly accessible or, if accessible, require a significant amount of contortion in order to effectively engage the clamp end tabs and compress those tabs using a pliers or other similar tool. Thus, there has developed a need for some means to effect compression of the end tabs of vehicle hose clamps in a manner which will enable their release of the hose from a port connector effectively and efficiently, particularly in areas where there is restricted access.
Briefly, the present invention relates to apparatus for removal of an automotive hose clamp and, more particularly, to a manual trigger actuated clamp release mechanism which includes a flexible cable in a flexible tube. The cable and tube are attached respectively to opposed jaws designed to engage the end tabs of an automotive hose clamp and effect release of the hose clamp in response to movement of the cable relative to the tube. Mechanical advantage is gained by use of the manual trigger mechanism connected to the tube and cable in a manner enabling movement of the telescoping cable relative to the tube through which the cable extends thereby effecting movement of the jaws to release a clamp.
Because the cable and tube are flexible, the jaws attached to the extreme ends thereof may be positioned in highly inaccessible regions of an engine compartment for engagement with a hose clamp. Actuation of the trigger mechanism then effectively releases the clamp from the hose. The apparatus may be used for removal of a hose clamp and for assisting in the attachment of a hose clamp.
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for removal of an automobile hose clamp.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for removal of an automotive hose clamp positioned in a generally inaccessible region or area of an engine compartment.
Another object of the invention is to provide an automotive hose clamp removal tool which includes a flexible cable and tube operatively connected to moveable jaw members that may be engaged with the end tabs of an automotive hose clamp to effect movement of those end tabs and release of the hose clamp.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanically simple, yet highly effective, inexpensive and rugged apparatus for removal and replacement of automotive hose clamps.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.